- Major banks and payment platforms will bring their plans to Madrid to create new digital currencies pegged to the euro and the dollar
- BBVA, along with other banks, will discuss its role in Qivalis, the group of 37 entities preparing a regulated European stablecoin under MiCA
- Trade Republic will share how European investment platforms see crypto-asset adoption, while Western Union will present its USDPT stablecoin
- MERGE Madrid 2026 will gather over 3,000 attendees and 250 international speakers from October 27 to 29 at the Madrid Stock Exchange and Cibeles Palace
Madrid, September 2026. Stablecoins are no longer a tool only for the crypto world. They have become a key priority for banks, fintechs, and global payment firms.
Santander, BBVA, Trade Republic, and Western Union will take part in MERGE Madrid 2026. They will look at how this new financial system will change payments, international transfers, investment, and asset settlement.
The new edition of MERGE Madrid will take place from October 27 to 29. It puts the Spanish capital at the center of the debate on the future of money. The event will bring together four views that fit together:
- Teamwork among major international banks
- The creation of a European stablecoin under MiCA
- Digital asset adoption, as seen by a European investment platform
- Adding a digital dollar to one of the world’s largest remittance networks
Four approaches anticipating the future of digital money
BBVA and the Qivalis Banks
BBVA, Banca Sella, BNP Paribas, CaixaBank, Cecabank, Intesa Sanpaolo, Kutxabank, Piraeus Bank, Raiffeisen Bank, and Bankinter will present their role in Qivalis. This alliance brings together 37 financial institutions across 15 European countries to promote a euro-based stablecoin.
The project aims to offer faster, cheaper payments and transfers, available 24/7. It also aims to make it easier to settle digital assets in a regulated setting. Its commercial launch is planned for the second half of 2026, subject to the needed approval.
Santander and the G7 Bank Group
Santander will discuss the plan it is exploring with Bank of America, Barclays, BNP Paribas, Citi, Deutsche Bank, Goldman Sachs, MUFG, TD Bank, and UBS. The group wants to issue a form of digital money backed one-to-one by reserves and available on public blockchains.
The project studies currencies linked to G7 currencies. It shows how global banks want to build common standards to use digital money safely and within the rules.
Trade Republic
Trade Republic will share the view of one of Europe’s leading investment and savings platforms on adding digital assets to everyday financial services.
Its session will look at what retail investors want. It will also cover how to make access to crypto-assets simple and regulated, and what role digital platforms will play as Europe adopts new financial systems.
Western Union
Western Union will present USDPT, its dollar-based stablecoin issued by Anchorage Digital Bank and built on Solana.
The company is adding this asset to its Digital Asset Network. The goal is to link digital money with real-world uses: 24/7 transfers, payments, and conversion to local currency across its international network. The plan shows how stablecoins can work alongside cash and remittance systems rather than as a closed loop.
“For the first time, banks, fintechs, and major payment companies are not coming to debate whether stablecoins will play a role in the financial system, but rather to explain how they are building and integrating them, and what specific problems they aim to solve with them.
MERGE Madrid will be the venue where we can compare these models and understand what form digital money will take in Europe and Latin America,” explains Paula Pascual, founder of MERGE.
Why everyone wants to launch a stablecoin now
The interest comes at a key moment for the industry. The MiCA regulation has set a clear framework in Europe for issuing and selling crypto-assets.
At the same time, the growth of dollar-pegged stablecoins has opened a debate on monetary sovereignty. That is, whether Europe can build and control its own payment systems.
For banks, these currencies open the door to:
- Near-instant international transfers
- Programmable payments
- Operations that run around the clock
- Settling tokenized assets without depending on normal business hours
For payment and remittance platforms, they offer a way to cut out middlemen. They can link digital money directly with merchants, bank accounts, and cash pickup points.
The talks at MERGE Madrid will go beyond technology. Speakers will look at several questions:
- Who should issue these currencies?
- How are reserves protected?
- What guarantees do users need?
- How can they coexist with bank deposits and the future digital euro?
- Which model is most likely to achieve real adoption?
Madrid brings together the banking sector building the new digital money
The program will gather leaders in banking, payments, investment, regulation, blockchain infrastructure, and digital assets. Confirmed speakers include:
- Coty de Monteverde, Global Head of Crypto & Digital Assets at Banco Santander
- Francisco Maroto, Head of Blockchain and Digital Assets at BBVA
- Representatives from Trade Republic, Western Union, Qivalis, Mastercard, Ripple, and other companies building next-generation financial systems
The October 27 session will take place at the Madrid Stock Exchange. It will host an Institutional Summit for banks, investors, regulators, and industry leaders.
On October 28 and 29, Cibeles Palace will host the main conference. It will have over 3,000 attendees and 250 international speakers from Europe and Latin America.
Beyond stablecoins and digital payments, the agenda will cover tokenization, custody, regulation, capital markets, Bitcoin, AI in finance, and new blockchain systems. MERGE thus strengthens its role as a bridge between traditional banking and the digital asset world on both sides of the Atlantic.
About MERGE
MERGE is the leading institutional platform for digital assets, blockchain, and Web3 linking Europe and Latin America.
Through its events in Madrid and São Paulo, it brings together banks, regulators, corporations, investors, fintechs, startups, and native companies in the digital world. The goal is to foster teamwork and new business models.
More information, agenda, and tickets:
Press Contact
Ana Ávila
CXO at Wildcom
+34 620 981 115
aavila@wildcom.es
This is a press release / sponsored content. Read our Sponsored Content Policy. This article is not intended as financial advice. Educational purposes only.
